Pedestal-table lock.



F. G. POOLE. PBDESTAFTABLE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.19, 1905.

PATENTED JULY 24. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. POOLE, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELMER H. GREY, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24. 1906.

Application filed October 19,1905. Serial No. 283.459.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK C. POOLE, of Gloucester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Pedestal-Table Locks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to, provide simple and efficient means for drawing together the separable halves of the pedestal and of the horizontal top of a pillar extensiontable and holding them locked both at upper and lower ends of the pedestalin close edgewise contact.

Another object is to slightly raise the center leg when the pedestal members are being locked, such raising being incidental to the locking operation and avoiding the rocking or unsteady action frequently observed in ta bles of this class due to a slight spreading of the pedestal-legs and the resulting protrusion of the center leg.

It has been common heretofore to lock the separable pedestal parts together by various devices connected to the center leg. In some of these forms said leg oscillates or has a partial rotation imparted to it for drawing the table-sections into contact.

The novel feature which characterizes my improvement is the engagement and disengagement of the locking devices by the vertical bodily movement of the center leg which carries the locking members into close locking contact with the corresponding members fixed within the separable halves of the pedestal to be united.

My invention is embodied in adjacent pedestal parts, each having an oblique locking member fixed to its inner wall and projecting downwardly therefrom, in combination with the inclosed center leg having corresponding upwardly-inclined locking members, and With means for imparting a slight vertical reciprocation to such leg to engage and disengage said members, and thereby alternately lock and unlock the table parts. In the best embodiment of my invention the locking members are duplicated and applied to both the upper and lower ends of the leg and pedestal parts.

My invention also includes the described devices and combinations of parts for the pur pose stated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a table-top and pedestal, the center leg and locking members being in elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged top and side views of the preferred means for raising the leg and locking the parts. Fig. 4 is a modification.

The separable halves 5 6 of the tabletop are mounted on corresponding halves 7 8 of the hollow pedestal, provided with supporting-legs 9. tofore, connected by horizontal dovetailed slides 10, set edgewise, on which the insertible extension-leaves (not shown) rest, the middle slide-bar being secured to the end portion of a transverse horizontal supporting-bar 11.

The center leg 12, as shown in Fig. 1, is furnished at its lower end and also near its upper end with a pair of hooks or lookingplates 13, secured to the leg in oblique position and preferably supported against the strains of use by a shoulder formed on the leg. Corresponding downwardly and inwardly inclined locking parts 14 are secured to the inner walls of the pedestal parts in position to be engaged by the plates 13 when the leg is raised. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be ap parent that such upward movement when the pedestal parts are nearly in contact will serve to draw them together and lock them securely and that the downward movement of the leg will unlock them. This vertical reciprocation is of limited eXtenthalf an inch, more or less-and may be variously produced. The means here illustrated is simple and effective. The cylindrical upper end of leg 12 extends vertically materially above the top of the edestal through a bearing in the transverse ar 11 and through a tubular collar 15, formed upon the head of the actuating-lever 16. The lever-head rests flat upon bar 1 1 and has a lurality of arc-shaped slots 17, Fig. 2, throng which screws 18 penetrate said bar, allowing said lever and collar to oscillate about such leg end. Collar 15 has in its opposite sides two spiral slots 19, through which protrude the ends of a pin 20, which passes through the inclosed end portion of leg 12. Said pin is braced at each end and held to the performance of its function preferably by spring steel arms 21, secured at their outer ends to bar 11 or to a supporting-block 22 thereon. Thus when lever 16 is vibrated within the limit per- These end. sections are, as heremitted by slots 17 the spiral slots of collar 15, acting on pin 20 therein, raise or lower leg12, according to the direction of movement of said lever. The spring-arms 21 assist by their elasticity in the lifting operation and also by holding leg 12 from rotation and pin 20 subject only to the vertical movei ment incident to the screw action of the spiral slots, these parts being, in effect, a male and female screw. Said actuating lever, with its peculiar head, may be cast in the form described or formed by dies from a flat steel blank, the slots being died out when the outline is shaped or subsequently. The collar 15 may be formed separately with a flange at its lower edge brazed to the fiat leverhead.

In the modification, Fig. 4, two upturned slotted ears 23, cast with or struck up from the metal of the lever-head, are substituted for the collar as an equivalent hollow screw. I do not, however, limit myself to a lever of these specific forms.

I claim as my invention 1. In pedestal extension-tables, the separable top and pedestal sections and a vertically-movable center leg inclosed between the pedestal parts, in combination with obliquely-arranged locking devices respectively secured to said leg and to the inner walls of the pedestal parts, at their upper and lower end portions, and with means for raising and lowering said leg and thereby engaging and disengaging such locking devices, to lock and unlock the table-sections.

2. In pedestal extension-tables, the separable top, the adjacent pedestal parts and oblique locking members fixed to the inner walls of the pedestal parts and projecting downwardly therefrom, in combination with the inclosed center leg having corresponding upwardlyinclined locking members and with means for imparting a slight vertical reciprocation to such leg to engage and disengage said members andalternately lock and unlock the table-sections.

3. I11 pedestal extension-tables, the separable top having horizontal slides and a supporting transverse bar therefor, a verticallymovable center leg projecting through and above said bar, and above the inclosing pedestal parts, such leg and parts having oblique-faced engaging locking vdevices, in combination with a lever mounted on said transverse bar, applied to the upward prolongation of said leg and adapted to alternately raise and lower the leg and thereby to lock and unlock the table-sections.

4. In pedestal extension-tables, the separable top and pedestal parts, the verticallymovable center leg inclosed between the ped' estal parts and prolonged materially above them, and obliquely-arranged locking devices respectively secured to said parts and leg, in combination with an actuating-lever having a slotted head and hollow screw, mounted on the horizontal crossbar of the extension frame and adapted to engage a projection on the upward prolongation of said leg, the same being braced to prevent its rotation.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.'

FREDERICK 'C. POOLE.

Witnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, ELMER H. GREY. 

